Barrier



Dec. 14', 1943.

' B. E.' HOOVER 2,336,483

BARRIER 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 5, 1939 WHIIIIIIIII 5 ,Sheets-Sheet 2 B. E. HOOVER BARRIER Filed sept. 5, 1939 I w 5.1i

Dec. 14, 1943. B. E. HOOVER Filed Sept. 5, 1939 5 SheeLS--Sheei'l 3 Sd@ F: (Uf' T7700 der Dec. 14, 1943. B." E. HOOVER BARRIER Filed Sept. 5, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Il @Rf 3. i

Patented Dec. 14, 1943 2,336,483 BARRIER Burt E. Hoover, Wauwatosa, Wis., assgnor to Lakeside Bridge & Steel Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application September 5, 1939, Serial No. 293,473

11 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful irnprovements in barriers and has particular reference to an improved exible highway barrier for railroad crossings which is normally in raised position but which can be lowered by manually or automatically operated mechanism upon the approach of a train to gradually retard and stop a motor driven vehicle, the driver of which may disregard other stop signals usually provided at railroad crossings.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide a flexible barrier of this type or character which shall be simple in construction and effective to gradually retard and stop a vehicle coming into contact therewith without undesirable impact or rebound.

Another object of the invention is found in the provision of a highway barrier of exible construction connected to side pay out cables operatively associated with resilient or spring retarding means located extraneously of the barrier proper and its supports and which resilient retarding means are operative only upon the impact of a vehicle therewith but inoperative during the raising or lowering of the barrier.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of elongated spring retarders each consisting preferably of a plurality of longitudinally aligned abutting sections of springs 'and preferably telescopically arranged springs so arranged and mounted in a conduit that suicient frictional resistance between such springs and the conduit will act to check any severe or undesirable rebound of the vehicle after it has been brought to a stop by impact with the barrier.

Another feature or object of the invention resides in the novel operative arrangement between the vertically movable barrier-supporting carriages and the resilient vehicle retarding means whereby the lifting means becomes inoperative if and when the barrier is struck during the lowering and raising of the barrier.

Still another object of the invention is found in the provision of comparatively long conduitenclosed springs or preferably a series of end to end mounted sections of springs or two sets of telescoped series of springs adapted to be compressed by the movement of the pay-out cables attached to the barrier ends when the barrier is forcibly engaged by a moving vehicle to cause a lateral bodily movement of the barrier with the vehicle to thereby retard and stop the vehicle.

A still further object of the invention resides in the novel combination, arrangement, and pro` vision of one pair of conduit-enclosed springs to operatively serve two of the highway barriers.

A still further object of the invention is found i trolling the automatic raising operation of theA barrier is automatically broken to thereby prevent the automatic raising of the barrier when the barrier has been engaged by a vehicle.

With the above and other objects in view, my

invention consists in the novel combination, con- `1ineI0-l0ofFig.7;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross-section taken-on struction, and arrangement of the parts and members shown is preferred embodiment n the attached drawings, described in theY following specifications and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

y In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration showing a railroad and two of the barriers;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a barrier embodying one form of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 4 showing one of the barrier columns and one of the barrier carriages, the structural bracing or covering for the column being omitted;

Fig. 4 is an end view of one of the columns and one of the carriages, the structural bracing or covering for the column being omitted;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on line of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section through one ofthe columns showing a top view of one of thercarriages;

Fig. '7 is a plan view, part in section and part in elevation, showing one of the spring retarders and conduit therefor; i e

Fig. 8 is a side view of the `spring-'retarder shown in Fig. 7 with parts shown insection and elevation;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-section takenbn i line 9-9 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-section line lI-II of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12.is a diagrammatic illustrationshowingone end of the barrier and the` operating cable reeving diagram;

Fig. 13 is a diagrammaticillustration .showing a modified arrangement of the. barrier springretarders; i

Fig. 14 is an enlarged-view in parttseotion and part elevation showing one end of the spring conduit 60 as employed in the modification shown in Fig. |3; and

Fig. shows the circuit with barrier top and bottom switches, barrier trip switch, push button reset switch, train-operated switch and permissive operation switch for testing purposes. The circuit is shown in its operative condition when the barrier is in raised position.

In the specification, like reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several figures.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown in Fig. 1 railroad tracks 29, a highway 2|, and a pair of barrier supporting structures 22 each comprising a pair of fixed columns 22A, one on each side of the highway, and preferably having a cross structure 22]3 connecting the tops of such columns and forming a, housing for the barrier 23 and the lowering and raising mechanism the cable drum of which is indicated by numeral 24.

The flexible barrier 23 is supported at its ends on a pair of carriages, generally indicated by numeral 25, arranged for up and down movement on the columns 22A.

The flexible impact-receiving barrier 23 is preierably constructed of wire rope pieces connected together to form a net-like structure and is normally positioned in inoperative position above the highway 2| within the overhead cross structure 22B, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and is adapted to be lowered into operative position, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 2, to constitute an impact-receiving barrier adapted to gradually retard and stop a moving vehicle.

The flexible barrier 23 includes a pair of main top and bottom horizontal cables 23A and 23B which are secured to the vertical pipe or bar end members 23C.

Each barrier 23 is provided with a pair of flexible pay-out members or cables 26 the ends of which are suitably secured to the vertical end members 23C preferably at the point of connection of the top and bottom flexible barrier cables 23A and 23B.

Each column 22A is preferably constructed of structural steel members and inclu-des spaced pairs of vertical guide angles 22C for guiding the carriages in their up and down movement.

Each carriage 25 consists of a frame (as herein preferably shown) comprising a pair of side channels 25A and a pair of lateral cross channels 25B welded or otherwise secured together.

Each carriage includes a pair of shafts 21 each supported in relatively stationary position in a housingr 28 consisting of a pair of sections 28A and 28B secured together by bolts 23 and the housing outer ends extend for support into the webs of the side channels 25A.

Each shaft 21 is adapted to carry, at its outer ends, a roller 3D mounted on a ball bearing 3| and bushing 32. These rollersS!) guide the carriage in the guides 22C.

Thehousingsections 28A and 28B are enlarged to embrace the substantially centrally disposed sheave 33 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft21.

The upper and lower sections 28A of the carriage are coupled or connected together by a tie rod 48 to secure the housing 28 against rotation.

Each carriage 25 is provided with a connection 34 rigidlyA secured thereto for one end of the counterweight cable 35 which is trained over 'a sheave 38 supported on the upper end of the column 22Aand connected to a counterweight 31 guided by the angle guide angle 38 and one of the guide angles 22C.

The combined weight of the two counterweights 31 provided for each barrier 23 is less than the weight of the barrier and its two carriages 25 so that each barrier tends to descend by gravity and the use of these counterweights permits use of a smaller electric motor for the hoist drum 24.

Each carriage 25 is also provided with a connection pin 33 rigidly held in the support 40 xed to the carriage frame and to which pin 39 is secured one end of the barrier lifting cables 4| which are trained over the sheaves 42 and thence onto the hoist drum 24 so that reverse rotations of the hoist drum 24 will raise and lower the barrier 23.

As above-stated, each barrier 23 is provided, at its ends, with a pay-out cable 26. At the foot or lower end of each column are provided two sheaves 43 which are rotatably mounted on shaft 44 suitably mounted in the bearings 45 which are secured to the column.

A sheave 46 is provided within the upper end of each column 22. The pay-out cable guiding sheaves 33, 33, 43, 43, 4S, and an equalizer sheave 41 as well as the pay-out cable 26 are diagrammatically shown in the reeving diagram shown in Fig. 12 from which it will be observed that the` end portion of the'pay-out cable 26 which is connected to the upper end of the pipe member 23C passes over the upper carriage sheave 33 and is extended to pass downwardly under one of the lower sheaves 43, thence laterally around the equalizer sheave 41, thence under the other of the lower sheaves 43 and upwardly over the top of the sheave 46 and thence downwardly under the lov/e1` part of the lower carriage sheave 33 for connection Vto the lower end of the pipe member 23C.

As shown in Figs. l and 2 and 7 to 11 inclusive, the resilient vehicle retarding and stopping means for eachlbarrier 23 consists of a pay-out cable 26 connected to each end of the barrier and a conduit-enclosed laterally disposed elongated retarding spring means for each of the pay-out cables 26.

One of the shock-absorbing and retarding spring meansris shown in preferred form and arrangement in Figs. '7 to 11 inclusive and in-l cludes the equalizer sheave 41.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the two retarding and shock-absorbing means for each barrier are preferably positioned at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the barrier 23 just below the surface of the ground adjacent the highway 2| so that the conduits enclosing the springs are invisible although it is obvious that these conduits might readily be laid of the ground surface. However, an underground mounting of the conduits permits the carriages and barrier to assume the proper lowermost position with suicient operating clearance below the carriages 25 and the two corner sheaves 43 xed in the columns below. It is also obvious that the spring and equalizer sheave conduits could be disposed outwardly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the barrier or at other relative angles thereto by rearranging the angularv positions of the bottoni corner sheaves 43 to accommodate the angular position of these conduits.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, the two sets of retarding and shock-absorbing means are preferably shown extended outwardly from and transversely to the railroad tracks. However, these devices could readily be arranged to extend in an opposite direction to that shown in Fig. 1, that is, they might be arranged to extend under the railroad tracks 20, or one set of conduit-enclosed springs might be arranged under and transversely to the railroad tracks as shown in the modiiication in Fig. 13 which will later be described in more detail.

A Referring to Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive, the laterally disposed equalizer sheave 41 is pivotally mounted in a suitable cable guard housing 49 which is arranged for sliding movement upon the pair of supporting angle irons 50 rigidly secured to the channels which form the sides of the equalizer sheave housing generally indicated by numeral 'I6 and these channels 5I are covered with top and bottom plates 52, and to complete the enclosure of this conduit end plates 53 and 54 are provided.

In the normal up and down operation of the carriges 25 and barrier 23, the counter-balanced carriages 25 and barrier 23 will be readily lowered and raised by the cables 4l through the operation of the electrically driven hoist drum 213, either .by manually operated controller or by any suitable automatic electric control, responsive to the approach and passing of a train.

Each vertically travelling carriage has a counterweight to counter-balance the carriages and weight of barriers. The friction of the worm drive is sucient to hold the barrier in any position of its up and down travel.

The end plate 53 is positioned adjacent one face of the column 22A and suitably secured thereto as by bolts 57 and is provided with an elongated opening 55 for the cable 26.

The equalizer sheave guard is provided with a pin 58 to which is secured one end of a connector 53, preferably of wire rope, which connector 59 extends through the opening 56 in plate 54 and through the pipe conduit E6 into the conical wire rope socket 6l which is positioned in the end of the end spring engaging member 62.

The pipe conduit 66 is provided with a suitable connection ange 63 which is secured by bolts 64 to the equalizer sheave housing end plate 54. A suitable cap 65- forms a closure for the outer end of the spring conduit 60.

While nexible barriers have heretofore been designed with vehicle impact-receiving springs, such springs were employed as initial shock absorbers and therefore were necessarily supplemented with auxiliary or additional resistors such as frictional brakes, counterweights, or frictionally engaged counterweights which were depended l upon for iinally stopping the vehicle.

The present invention, however, dispenses withV such heretofore employed auxiliary resistor devices through the use of the comparatively long springs or preferably multiple sections of end to end mounted coil springs 66 positioned with only a slight clearance with the interior face of the outer spring sections 66 and preferably of reverse pitch so as to prevent interlocking of such two sets of springs.

An important feature of my resilient vehicle retarding and stopping devices resides in so mounting such spring sections with just suiicient clearance within the proper sized pipe conduit that, when such springs are compressed by the impact of a vehicle, they will tend to buckle along their longitudinal axis and frictionally engage the inner face of the pipe conduit to thus not only aiord increased resistance to the forward movement of the vehicle-engaged barrier but such frictional engagement with the conduit wall will also prevent any severe or damaging rebound action of the vehicle after it has been stopped. Actual tests conducted with a barrier of the type and construction herein disclosed proved that same may be engaged by a vehicle traveling 60 or 70 miles per hour with no serious or damaging rebound due to such friction between the springs and their conduits.

When the barrier 23 is lowered into operative position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2 and raised into inoperative position as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, the resilient retarding means above-described is not actuated because the two pay-out cables 26 during such barrier lowering and raising operations simply move around their guiding sheaves 46, 43, 43, and 47,' and it is only when the lowered barrier 23 is engaged by a vehicle and bodily moved by the vehicle, as illustrated in Fig. 1, that the outer ends of the pay-out cables will be bodily drawn through the carriages 25 over their guiding sheaves 33, 33, 43, 43, and 46, so that the equalizer sheave 4l will be bodily slidably moved to cause a movement of the connector cables 59 to thereby compress the two sets of springs in the conduits 6B to resist the impact and movement of the Vehicle.

To facilitate and to guide the curved Inovement of the ends of the pay-out cables from the4 izer sheaves 4l which are mounted for slidingmovement in the equalizer housings 1i] and the two sets of housings 'I0 are connected to 0pposite ends oi the two spring conduits 66 in which are mounted the springs 66 and 6l.

The extreme ends of the spring sections of each conduit 66 are positioned between the elongated cast iron or steel cylindrical members 62. Each equalizer sheave 41 has its housing 49 connected by preferably a rod 'Il which extends through the spring sections and the members 62 of the conduit 6i] for securement to the member gg at the farthest end of the conduit as by a nut As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the adjacent rods Since it is very remote that both barriers might be struck by vehicle at the very same moment one set of conduit enclosed springs may be provided, as shown in Fig. 13, for both barriers 23. However, the springs are suiciently heavy to resist simultaneous impact from both vehicles but with the sharper retardation of such vehicles.

Another feature of my invention is directed to the use of a safety barrier trip switch 'I4 for opening the circuit when barrier is struck to prevent the automatic return of the barrier after the railroad train has passed the highway. The circuit arrangement is such that when the barrier 23 is struck by a vehicle the switch 14 will be opened to prevent automatic return of the barrier to raised position until a push button switch has been manually operated to close the circuit to permit automatic raising operation of the barrier. This is a very desirable feature as in the event a barrier is struck by a vehicle and should such barrier become entangled with the bumper, fenders, or other part of the vehicle, it would obviously be undesirable to have the raising operation of the barrier take place until it was released from entanglement with the vehicle.

Referring to Fig. 15 which shows the novel control circuit for each of the barriers, the barrier trip switch 'lli is mounted on the tcp of one of the carriages 25 of each barrier 23. It is designed to be automatically opened whenever the barrier is struck by a vehicle or whenever it is deflected in any direction.

The reset push button switch 75 is mounted on one of the barrier columns somewhere so that the operator or vehicle driver can readily see it and operate the push button to thus permit the barrier to be automatically raised after it has been struck by a vehicle. A suitable legend can be mounted directly beneath the push button switch 'l5 and a light can illuminate the push button when the circuit has been opened or whenever it is necessary to operate the push button. When the reset push button switch 'l5 is closed the voltage relay coil 16 is energized and closes two small switches. One of these switches, ll, closes the circuit to the rest of the control and the other one, TB, closes the circuit of the coil itself, thus maintaining the circuit through 1B, once the circuit has been closed. The train signal switch 1S is a part of the train control system and is operated by the train when approaching the crossing. This type of switch is used to operate a bell, light, or the small one-arm gates that have been previously used at crossmgs.

The test master selector switch Bil is shown in normal position. It can be moved to the emergency raise position for raising the barrier when desired or to the emergency lower position for lowering the barrier when desired or to emergency off position so that the barrier will not be operable. This master switch is accessible to service men only, The upper limit switch 8l and the lower limit switch 82 are used to stop the barrier at the top and bottom limits of its travel. The raise coil 83 and the lower coil 8 are used to operate magnetic switches which control the power to the motor, the coil 83 being used to operate the motor in the barrier raising operation and the other coil 84 being used to operate the motor in the barrier lowering operation.

In normal operation with the barrier in its upper or raised position, the voltage relay coil 16 will be energized to thus close switches 'Il and 18. Of course when switch 11 is closed electric power will ow to the balance of the control, and with 'I8 closed, the circuit through the voltage coil is maintained.

When a train approaches a crossing, it will close switch 79 as by depressing it, thus energizing the lower coil 84 through the lower limit switch 82. This in turn will deliver power to the motor in the lowering direction and the barrier will travel downward until the lower limit switch 82 has been opened to stop the barrier.

After the train has passed out of the control area, the train signal switch 'i9 will automatically return to its upper or open position thus energizing the raise coil 83 through limit switch 8| which in turn causes the motor to operate the barrier in the upward direction until the barrier has reached its upper limit of travel by opening the raise limit switch 8l.

When the barrier is in the lower position, if it should be struck by a vehicle or deflected from its normal position by anything, the barrier trip switch lli will be opened. This will interrupt the circuit through 'i6 and cause the switches 'Vi and 'I8 to be opened, after which the barrier will not operate in either direction until the reset push button switch I5 has been depressed so as to energize the voltage relay coil 'I6 and thus energize the control and maintain circuits through ll and i8 as herein above described.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising oppositely arranged columns; a flexible barrier between said columns adapted to increasingly resist the impact of a vehicle; a carriage mounted for vertical up and down movement on each of said columns; a pair of sheaves mounted on each carriage, one above the other; a pair of flexible pay-out cables having their end portions trained around said carriage sheaves, one of said cables being operatively movable on one of said columns and the other of said cables being operatively movable on the other of said columns, and each of said cables having its ends connected to one of the ends of said barrier; a sheave mountted at the upper end of each of said columns above the uppermost position of the lower one of the sheaves of said carriages when said carriages are raised to their uppermost position, said payout cables having a portion extending around said column sheaves; resilient means mounted extraneously of each of said columns and connected to an adjacent equalizer sheave, each of said pay-out cables being trained around one of said equalizer sheaves; means for raising and lowering said carriages and barrier; and a pair of pay-out cable guiding sheaves at the foot of each of said columns cooperating with said sheaves mounted at the upper ends of the columns and with said equalizer sheaves to guide said pay-out cables in their movement during the up and down movement of the carriages and barrier without operating said resilient means, said pay-out cables being adapted to exert a pull upon said equalizer sheaves and said resilient means to impart progressively increased resistance to the barrier upon its engagement by a moving vehicle.

2. The combination with a pair of oppositely arranged columns, including a flexible barrier between said columns, a vertically movable carriage in each of said Columns having a pair of sheaves arranged one above the other, and a sheave mounted on the upper portion of each column above the uppermost position of the lowfer one of the sheaves of said carriages; of a coil spring mounted extraneously of each of said columns; an equalizer sheave for each of said coil springs having a housing connected to one end of the coil springs; a pair of sheaves mounted near the bottom of each column, and a single continuous pay-out cable for each carriage, each of said pay-out cables having its ends connected to one end of the barrier and trained for movement around said carriage, column and equalizer sheaves during the raising and lowering of said carriages and barrier without material resistance of said coil spring and both of said pay-out cables being adapted to be bodily moved with the barrier upon engagement and movement of the barrier by a vehicle to thereby cause a bodily movement of the pay-out cables and equalizer sheaves against the pressure of said coil springs.

3. The combination with a ilexible highway barrier and means for supporting and raising and lowering said barrier, of an electric control circuit for controlling the raising and lowering operation of the barrier including a stop switch in said circuit operatively associated with the barrier arranged for rendering said means inoperative to move the barrier upon engagement of a vehicle with same; and another switch in said circuit adapted for rendering said circuit and said means normally operative to raise and lower the barrier, said means for supporting and raising and lowering said barrier including a pair of barrier-supporting carriages and a pay-out cable operatively associated with each carriage. said pay-out cables being connected to the ends of the barrier; and pivotally mounted means operatively associated with said stop switch and responsive to a movement of one of said pay-out cables out of normal position upon engagement of the barrier by a vehicle, said pivotally mounted means being adapted for operating said stop switch to render said raising and lowering means inoperative to raise or lower the barrier.

4. The combination as embodied in claim 20 and including a permissive operation switch in said circuit adapted to be selectively set for normal automatic operation of the barrier, or for manually controlling the raising or lowering operation of the barrier, or for maintaining the barrier in stopped inoperative position.

5. Barrier apparatus for a railway cross road, comprising a pair of barriers, one on each side of the railway extending across the cross road; a pair of oppositely arranged columns on each side of the railway; a carriage mounted for up and down movement on each of said columns; a pay-out cable operatively associated with each of said carriages and having its ends connected to one end of one of said barriers; a pair of resilient devices, each of said barriers having a pair of said pay-out cables operatively connected to a pair of ends of said resilient devices; and means for raising and lowering said carriages and barriers.

6. Barrier apparatus for a railway cross road, comprising a pair of flexible barriers, one on each side of the railway extending across the cross road; a pair of oppositely arranged columns on each side of the railway; a carriage mounted for up and down movement on each of said columns; a pay-out cable operatively associated with each of said carriages and having its ends connected to one end of one of said barriers; a pair of resilient elongated coil-spring conduit-enclosed devices disposed transversely to and under the tracks of the railway, each of said pay-out cables being operatively connected to one end of one oi said pair of resilient devices, the pay-out cables of each pair of transversely aligned ends of said barriers being connected'to the opposite ends of one of said resilient devices; and means for raising and lowering said carriges and barriers.

' 7. A pair of spaced roadway barriers positioned on opposite sides of a cross-way, each of said barriers comprising a pair of upright columns mounted one on each side of said roadway, a exible barrier extending across said roadway and movably mounted on said columns, powerdriven means for moving said barriers up and down on said columns, a cable for each barrier end having its ends connected to the end of the barrier, said cables being trained about and movable over sheaves in said columns during the up and down movements of said barriers, and a pair of resilient impact-absorbing means, one on each side of s'aid roadway, each of said resilient means including connection means for connecting the opposite ends of said resilient means with a pair of transversely aligned cables disposed on one side of said roadway to thereby resiliently oppose the impact of vehicles against either one or both of said barriers.

8. In a pair of spaced roadway barriers as defined in claim '7 and wherein each of said connection means for said resilient means includes an equalizer sheave which is traversed by one of said barrier moving cables.

9. The combination with a vertically movable exible highway barrier and electrically driven means for raising and lowering said barrier; of an electric control circuit for said means for electrically controlling the raising and lowering operation of the barrier, said circuit including a pair of limit switches engageable by the barrier for limiting the uppermost and lowermost positions of the barrier; a stop switch operatively responsive to a flexing movement of the barrier, caused by its engagement by a moving vehicle, adapted for rendering said means inoperative to move the barrier; and a reset switch adapted for rendering said circuit and said means operative for raising and lowering the barrier.

10. The combination as embodied in claim 9 wherein said means for raising and lowering said barrier includes a pair of barrier-supporting carriages and a pay-out cable, operatively associated with each carriage, and connected to one end of the barrier; and including a permissive operation switch in said circuit adapted to be selectively set for normal automatic operation of the barrier, or for manually controlling the raising or lowering operation of the barrier, or for retaining the barrier in stopped inoperative position.

11. The combination with a vertically movable flexible roadway barrier and power-driven means for raising and lowering said barrier, of a pair of spaced vertical columns between which said barrier extends across said roadway, a barrier carriage mounted for up and down movement on each of said columns, a counterweight for each carriage mounted on each of said columns, a cable connected to each of said barrier carriages and with said power-driven means whereby said carriages are movable up and down on said columns, a pair of vehicle-impact-absorbing resilient means including an equalizer sheave operatively connected with each of said resilient means, a pair of sheaves mounted on each carriage, an elevated sheave mounted near guide the cables in their travel during the up and down movements of the barrier Without operating said resilient means but said cables being adapted to exert a pull upon said equalizer sheaves and said resilient means to resist the exing of the barrier upon its engagement by a moving vehicle.

BURT E. HOOVER. 

